Can opener



June 11,1940. Fjw.KuB| 1N 2,204,368

GAN OPENER Filed June 26,l 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Bly ATTORNEY F. w. KUBLIN June l1, 1940.

om OPENER Filed June 26, 195:5

`2 Shets-Sheet 2 @Mir INVENToR 4 FREpER/cx W Ku/JN Patented June 11', 1940 UNlTEDfsTATEs PATENT OFFICE:k v-

cANoPENER Freflerick W. Kublin, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Dazey Clllirn & Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application June 26, 1936, Serial No. 87,353

A 12 'Claims My invention relates to can openers',- and more particularly to an improved can opener of the Atype employing a rotatable traction' element which operates to move the can relative to a cutter, to cause Severance ofa can wall.

An object of my invention is to provide, ina

device of this character, improved means for holding the can in operative engagement with the traction element while such element is func- 10 tioning to move the can.

Another object of my invention is attained in yIn the drawings, Fig. l is a side Vview of my` improved can opener; Fig. 2 is an end view ofv l5 the saine; Fig. 3 Ais a view of the side of the device opposite to that appearing in Fig. l; Figgl is an enlarged sectional view takenat line iQ-4 of Fig. 1;.Fig. 5 is a side view of the blade; Fig. 6 is a side View of the device with the blade m and blade-actuating lever removed tol show the hold down element and guide plate for the same;Y Fig. riis a perspective view ofv the guide plate, and Fig. 8 isa sectional rView of the blade taken at line 8-8 of Fig. 5, including a fractionalv representation of a can. f

- Referring now by characters of reference to the drawings, the operating mechanism is mounted near one end of anelongate base plate I0 which is provided at its opposite end with a 'suitable l0 mounting means, indicated at I I, for securing the device to a wall or other support. The feed wheel I2 comprises a hardened steel vdiso having a toothed peripheral edge and is disposed on the front face, so-called, of the base plate Il, near ,5 outerandlower edges thereof. The feed wheelr y is secured to a shaft I3 which extends through` and is journalled for rotation in the base plate. A crank I4 secured to. the'shaft serves as means for turning the feed Wheel. Projecting angularly ,0 from .the base plate subjacentthe feed wheel is a lug I5 which is adapted to engage a side wall of a cari and space the same' `from the front face of the feed wheel.. Lug I5 also serves to stabilize the can during the cutting operation. ,51 A guideplate I6 is disposed flatwise on the front (Cl. 30-15)v l face of' the base plate above the' feed wheel and is attached to the base' plate in such manner' as to be sll'pt'ible' of limited movement toward and from the base' plate.y A pair of relatively spaced studs I'l project from the base plate through apu 5 ertuies in the guide plate and carry springs I8 which 'are compressed between the guide plate and enlarged liead portions of the studs'. The Springsl normallyy hold the guide plate llatly Y lagainst the base plate yet dei: to lpermit of re- :I0 s'tr'icted movement 'of the guide plate toward and from the base plate. An outwardly projecting hriio'ntal flange i@ at the'lowei edge of the guide plate facilitates positioning a can between the blade andv feed wheel. prevents undue' angular dis- "-125 pllrlt fth dllilr'lg the' 'pel'lllg Operation, and serves as' a guard for the blade.

The guide plate IS is provided with a substan-l tially T-sliaped aperture 2U which accommodates or pressure element 2l is adapted to move vertically' inthe guide ,plate aperture, toward and 'from the feed wheel, and is provided with lateral projections .22 which engage shoulders 23 on 'tile guide plate tov limit tlie' extent of downward travel of the pressure lment. In the lowermost position of the pressure element, (see Fig. 6) the can engaging surface 24 thereof is slightly spaced above the uppermost teeth of the feed wheel.

The pressure element is urged downwardly by'o means of a vspring 2liv mounted on the rear face of thebase plate. One' end of thespring is Suitablyanclioied to the base plate as at' 26, and the other end, bent angularly, extends through a vertical slot 2l' in the base plate'and bears upon the pressure element- 2I. The endportl'on of spring 25 whichengages`thepressure element ZI is designated 28. e-

Fig". 5 illustratesthe cutting element or blade 29 which is disposed atilv'ise on the guide-plate I6 facing the hold down element ZI .y The blade extends through a fecessrtf (Fig. 7) in the guide plate flange I5, which. recessis a continuation of the Teshaped aperture 2li into the flange I9. A head portion 3| on theupper end of blade hasa circular aperture 32 and journalled in the aperture 32 is a dise 33 which is xedlysecured. flatwise, to the innerv face near one end of the blade actuating lever 34. The blade terminates downwardly in an oblique shearing edge 35, and a pointed end 36 for puncturing the can. Roundededge surfaes' 31 at the inner face of the cutting endk (see Flei) enable the blade to fit closely the inner cylindrical surface of a cangwall, and

have th additional purpose 0f providing' Cani'- ming surfaces, functioning in a manner to be hereinafter explained.

The lever 34 pivots on a shaft 38, constituted by a suitable bolt, which shaft extends eccentrically through the disc 33, and through guide plate I6 and base plate Iii. The inner end of the shaft preferably projects beyond the rear face of the base plate to serve as an anchoring stud for the fixed end of the hold down spring 25. The aperture in the base plate through which shaft 38 extends is slightly larger than the shaft to permit the shaft and parts carried thereby to rock under the influence of an outwardly directed force on the blade. It will be readily understood that only a very small amount of lateral play in the shaft is necessary to permit of substantial lateral movement of the lower end of the blade, Such movement, of course, is opposed by the action of springs IS.

The lever 34 is adapted to be swung through an arc of approximately 180 degrees, and the two extreme positions of lever travel are shown in Fig. 1. When lever 34 is swung backwardly to bring the lug 39 into engagement with the upper edge of the base plate, the blade 29 is displaced, by the action of the eccentric disc 33, into its lowermost, or cutting position. When in cutting position the blade overlaps the'front face of the feed wheel. Movement of lever 34 to the position thereof indicated by broken lines, (Fig. 1), raises or retracts the blade to its uppermost position wherein the blade lies clear of the feed Wheel, permitting of the insertion or removal of the can.

The hold down element 2| is adapted to be raised and lowered concomitantly with like movements of the blade, and this result is accomplished by the means hereafter described. The element 2| is provided with a vertically extending slot 40, and the blade is provided with a finger 4| which projects into slot 4I). When the blade is raised by the action of lever 34, finger 4|, engaging the element 2| at the upper extremity of slot 4I), causes the element 2| to be raised. When the blade is lowered to cutting position, element 2| likewise moves downwardly under the action of spring 25.

The described operative connection between the blade and hold down element 2| is of socalled lost motion character, the element 2| being free to move independently of the blade when the blade is disposed in cutting position, It will appear that spring 25, operating through element 2|, tends to maintain the blade in cutting position, and consequently to maintain the lever 34 folded back compactly against the upper edge of the base plate.

The manner in which my improved can opener operates may be described as follows. Lever 34 is swung to the extended position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 which causes the blade and hold down element to be drawn upwardly away from the feed wheel I2. rlhe can to be opened is then inserted into the device by placing the upper rim or bead between the contact surface 24 of element 2| and the feed wheel. The under surface of ange I9 aids the user in guiding the can into the described position.

Lever 34 is now swung backwardly to its initial, folded position, causing displacement of the blade dowwardly into puncturing engagement with the can top at a point immediately adjacent the inner periphery of the bead. The element 2| also descends until it engages the upper surface of the can bead, and under the influence of spring 25 exerts pressure on the can bead which holds the same in frictional, operative engagement with the feed Wheel.

Rotation of the feed Wheel by means of the crank I4 causes the can top to be moved and sheared by the blade 29. The blade is constrained against the inner surface of the can bead by the springs I8 withthe result that the can top is sheared close to the bead. No sharp lip or flange remains on the can to constitute a source of injury to the user. When the blade encounters a projection or other irregularity on the can bead, such as is produced at the seam in cans of conventional construction, the blade is forced outwardly by the camming action of such projection on the rounded sloping surface 31 of the blade. The spring-biased guide plate I6 yields to permit of such blade movement, and returns the blade to its normal cutting position after the projection has been moved beyond the blade.

The hold down element 2| likewise adjusts itself to irregularities in the can bead, and to cans having beads of varying height. Inasmuch as the element 2| is adapted to be displaced upwardly, independently of the blade, (such movement being opposed by spring 25), the element is capable of riding over a projection or irregularity on the bead without interrupting or otherwise interfering with the cutting action of the blade.

it may be readily comprehended that the described ability of the blade and hold down element to yield when encountering irregularities on the surface of the can renders the device easy and smooth of operation.

I have described and illustrated my invention with reference to a presently preferred embodiment thereof, but it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the parts and their arrangement herein described without departing from the spirit and full intended scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A canopener including a base, a feed wheel and means for turning the same, mounted on said base, a blade movable toward and from said feed wheel, a spring-biased pressure element adapted to engage a can and urge the same into frictional engagement with the feed wheel, said element being mounted on the base for movement,

independently of the blade movement, in the direction of the plane of the feed wheel, and a lever operatively connected to the blade and pressure element for moving the same away from the feed wheel.

2. AV can opener comprising a base, a feed Wheel on said base, a spring-biased pressure element on said base movable toward and from the feed Wheel in the direction of the plane thereof, a blade mounted for sliding movement on the base,

means for moving said blade, and a lost motion f operative connection between said blade and pressure element.

3. A can opener comprising a frame, a feeding roller having its axis of rotation fixed with respect to said frame, means for turning said feedi ing roller, a blade and a spring-biased, can-engageable pressure element mounted on said frame for movement in the direction of the plane of the feeding roller, said pressure element being adapted for movement independently of the movement a feed wheel and an actuating crank therefor mounted on said plate, a can-engageable pressure element and a blade independently mounted on* the plate for sliding movement in the direction of the plane of the feed Wheel, means operativelyconnecting said element and blade, a spring adapted to urge said element toward the feed Wheel and a lever operatively connected to said. 'blade adapted to move both the blade and ther pressure element;

5. A can opener comprising a frame, a feeding roller mounted thereon, a blade, a lever for moving said blade toward and from the feeding roller, a spring-biased pressure element movable independently of the blade toward and from the feeding roller in the direction of the plane there' and a traction Wheel mounted thereon, a blade mounted for movement toward and from the traction Wheel, a pressure element adaptedv to hold a can in operative engagement With'the traction wheel, said pressure elementbeing" mounted on the base member for movement toward and from the traction Wheel in the direc'-V tion of the plane thereof, means forming a lostmotion operative connection between the blade and pressure element, amanipulating lever for moving the blade and pressure element,`and a spring for biasing the blade and presure element toward the feed wheel. r

7. In a can opener including a base plate and a traction wheel for moving a can relative to the base plate, a blade movable toward and from the `traction wheel, mounted on the base plate, a

f pressure element engageable with the can to hold port, a traction wheel rotatably mounted on the the same in operativevengagementwith the `traction Wheel, means on the base plate mounting said pressure element for movement, independentA of blade movement, toward and from the traction wheel in the direction of the plane thereof, means operatively-connecting said blade and pressure element for electing joint movement thereof,`

and a spring adapted to bias the blade and pressure element toward the traction Wheel.

8. A can opener comprising a base member having means for attaching the same to a supbase plate, a blade and a can-engageable pressure element independently mounted on said base for movement toward and from, and in the direction of the plane of said traction wheel, means for moving said blade as aforesaid, means oper-` atively connecting said blade and pressure element and a spring mounted on saidbase adapted to urge the pressure element towardsaid traction wheel. t

9. Infa canopener including a base plate and a traction Wheel-for movin'ga can relative to the base plate, a blade mounted for movement toward and from the traction Wheel, a pressure element adapted to hold a' can in operative engagement `with the traction Wheel, said pressure element being, mounted for movement, independent of blade movement, toward and from the traction Wheel in the direction of the plane thereof, a lever operatively connected to the blade and pressure element, and a spring operatively associated with said ,blade and pressure element, adapted to kbias the blade and pressure element toward the traction wheel.

10. In a can opener including a base having a traction wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a guide plate yieldingly mounted on said base for limited movement in the `direction ofthe axis of the traction wheel, a blade mounted on said guide 1 plate for movement relative theretosin the direction of the plane of said ltraction Wheel, means f for effecting blade movement as aforesaid, and a spring coacting with said guide plate to oppose movementof the blade axially away from the traction Wheel.

11. In a can opener including a base having a traction Wheel rotatively mounted thereon, a guide plate yieldingly mounted on said base `for vlimited movement in the direction of the axis of the traction wheel, a blade mounted on the guide plate and constrained for movement relative thereto toward and from, in the direction of the ,f

plane of lthe ltraction Wheel, and a spring opposing movement vof said guide plate.

12K. In a can'opener including a base having a traction Wheel rotatively mounted thereon, a guide memberjyieldingly mounted on said base forv limited movement in directions parallel to the axis of the traction Wheel, a blade and a canengageable pressure element constrained by said guide member for movement relative thereto in the direction of the plane of the traction wheel, vactuating means for said blade and pressure element, and resilient means biasing said `guide member and said pressure element toward said traction wheel.

13. In a can opener including 4a base having a traction wheel rotatably mounted thereon, a

guide plate yieldingly mountedA on said base for limited movement in directions parallel to the axis of the traction Wheel, ablade and a' canengageable pressure element constrained by said guide plate for movement relative thereto in thev direction of the plane of the feed Wheel, means forming a lost-motion operative connection between said pressure element and blade, actuating means for said blade, a springbiasing said pressure element towardsaid traction wheel, and a spring biasing'said `guide plate toward said base.

FREDERrCK W. KUBLIN. 

